Food and medication
Spicy food and medication
Spicy, rich or acidic food can make nausea, indigestion and reflux (common medicine side effects) worse.
46 medicines on our checker are affected. Tap a medicine for every food and drink that matters with it.
Take care spicy food with these medicines
- Amoxicillin
Rich or spicy food may make nausea worse; stick to simple meals if you feel sick.
Where this comes from
“Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Anastrozole · Arimidex
Spicy and rich food may worsen feeling sick, a common side effect of anastrozole.
Where this comes from
“Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Bisacodyl · Dulcolax
Rich or spicy food can make feeling sick (a side effect of bisacodyl) worse.
Where this comes from
“It may also help if you avoid rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Carbimazole
Rich or spicy food can make feeling or being sick worse when taking carbimazole.
Where this comes from
“Stick to simple meals and try not to eat rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Carbocisteine · Mucodyne
Rich or spicy food can make feeling sick worse; stick to simple meals if this affects you.
Where this comes from
“Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Carvedilol
If carvedilol makes you feel sick, rich or spicy food can make it worse, so keep meals simple.
Where this comes from
“Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Cefalexin · Keflex
Rich or spicy food can make nausea worse; stick to simple meals if you feel sick.
Where this comes from
“Eat simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food while you're taking this medicine.”
Information from the NHS website - Chlorphenamine · Piriton, Allerief, Pollenase
Rich or spicy food can make nausea (a common side effect) worse.
Where this comes from
“It may also help if you do not eat rich or spicy food while you're taking chlorphenamine.”
Information from the NHS website - Clarithromycin
If you feel or are being sick, stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food.
Where this comes from
“Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Co-dydramol · Paramol, Remedeine, Remedeine Forte
Rich or spicy food can make nausea worse when taking co-dydramol.
Where this comes from
“Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Colecalciferol · BetterYou, Desunin, Stexerol
Avoid rich or spicy food if colecalciferol makes you feel sick.
Where this comes from
“Try taking your tablets with food. It may also help if you avoid rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Contraceptive injections · medroxyprogesterone, Medroxyprogesterone injections, Depo-Provera
Rich or spicy food may make feeling sick worse.
Where this comes from
“It may help if you avoid rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Diclofenac · Voltarol, Dicloflex, Diclomax
Rich or spicy food can worsen nausea, a common side effect of diclofenac.
Where this comes from
“Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Dipyridamole · Attia
Rich or spicy food can make nausea worse. Take your tablets with or after food instead.
Where this comes from
“Try taking your tablets with or after food. It may also help if you avoid rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Donepezil · Aricept, Aricept Evess
Rich, fatty or spicy food can make nausea (a common side effect) worse.
Where this comes from
“Try to stick to simple meals and try not to eat very rich, fatty or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Ferrous sulfate · ferrous sulphate, Ironorm Drops
If ferrous sulfate makes you feel sick, avoid rich or spicy food and stick to simple meals.
Where this comes from
“Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Flucloxacillin
Rich or spicy food can make feeling sick worse; stick to simple meals.
Where this comes from
“Stick to simple meals and try not to eat rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Gaviscon
Rich, spicy and acidic foods can make heartburn and reflux symptoms worse.
Where this comes from
“try not to eat rich, spicy and fatty foods, and acidic foods like tomatoes, citrus fruits, salad dressings and fizzy drinks – these can make your symptoms worse”
Information from the NHS website - GLP-1 agonists · semaglutide, ozempic, wegovy
A common reflux trigger with slower stomach emptying. Start small.
- Hydroxocobalamin · Cobalin-H, Neo-Cytamen
Stick to simple meals and avoid rich or spicy food if you feel sick.
Where this comes from
“Stick to simple meals and avoid rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Ibuprofen and codeine · Nurofen Plus
Stick to simple meals and avoid rich or spicy food if you feel sick while taking this medicine.
Where this comes from
“Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Isosorbide mononitrate and isosorbide dinitrate · Chemydur XL, Isotard, Monomil XL
Rich, greasy or spicy foods can make nausea worse if you experience this side effect.
Where this comes from
“Avoid rich, greasy or spicy foods, as these could make you feel worse.”
Information from the NHS website - Letrozole · Femara
Rich or spicy food can make nausea worse; stick to simple meals if you feel sick.
Where this comes from
“Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Loperamide · Imodium
Spicy or rich food can make nausea worse and may worsen diarrhoea.
Where this comes from
“It may also help if you avoid rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Lymecycline · Tetralysal 300
Rich or spicy food may make nausea worse while on lymecycline, so it may help to avoid it.
Where this comes from
“It may also help if you avoid rich or spicy food while you're taking this medicine.”
Information from the NHS website - Medroxyprogesterone tablets · Climanor, Provera
If you feel sick while taking medroxyprogesterone, avoid rich or spicy food.
Where this comes from
“Try taking your tablets with food. It may also help if you avoid rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Mesalazine · Asacol, Mezavant, Octasa
Spicy and rich food can make feeling sick and indigestion worse.
Where this comes from
“Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Methadone · Physeptone
Rich or spicy food can make nausea worse; avoid them if you feel sick.
Where this comes from
“If you feel sick, try taking your medicine with food. It may also help to avoid rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Metoprolol
Rich or spicy food can make nausea worse, so keep to simple meals if metoprolol makes you feel sick.
Where this comes from
“Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Montelukast · Singulair
Rich or spicy food can make feeling sick worse; stick to simple meals if affected.
Where this comes from
“Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Nefopam · Acupan
Rich or spicy food can make nausea (a common side effect) worse.
Where this comes from
“It may help if you take nefopam after eating and avoid eating rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Nystatin · Nystan
Nystatin can cause nausea and vomiting. Rich or spicy food can make you feel worse. Stick to simple meals if you feel sick.
Where this comes from
“Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - PPIs · omeprazole, lansoprazole, esomeprazole
Spicy, rich or acidic food can trigger the reflux the medicine treats.
- Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis · PrEP
Rich or spicy food can make nausea worse. Stick to simple meals.
Where this comes from
“Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Propranolol · Bedranol, Beta-Prograne, Half Beta-Prograne
If propranolol makes you feel sick, avoid rich or spicy food and keep to simple meals.
Where this comes from
“Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Risperidone
Spicy or rich food can make nausea worse. Stick to simple meals if you feel or are being sick.
Where this comes from
“Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Ropinirole · Requip, Ipinnia, Repinex
Rich or spicy food can make nausea worse if you feel or are being sick while taking ropinirole.
Where this comes from
“Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Sodium valproate · Dyzantil, Epilim, Episenta
Rich or spicy food can make stomach pain and feeling sick worse; take sodium valproate with food and avoid these.
Where this comes from
“Take sodium valproate with or after a meal or snack. It may also help if you avoid rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Solifenacin · Vesicare
Rich or spicy food may make nausea worse; avoid these if you feel sick while taking solifenacin.
Where this comes from
“It may also help if you avoid rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Sotalol
Rich or spicy food can make nausea worse if sotalol makes you feel sick. Stick to simple meals instead.
Where this comes from
“Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Sulfasalazine
Spicy or rich food can make nausea and indigestion worse. Stick to simple meals if you feel sick.
Where this comes from
“Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Terbinafine · Lamisil
Rich or spicy food can make nausea and vomiting (common side effects of terbinafine tablets) worse.
Where this comes from
“Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Thiamine · vitamin B1, Vitamin B1, Benerva
Rich or spicy food can make nausea (a common side effect) worse.
Where this comes from
“It may also help if you avoid rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Tramadol
Rich or spicy food can make nausea worse, a common side effect of tramadol. Stick to simple meals.
Where this comes from
“Eat simple meals and avoid rich or spicy food.”
Information from the NHS website - Trimethoprim
Rich or spicy food can make nausea worse; stick to simple meals if you feel sick.
Where this comes from
“It may also help if you stick to simple meals and avoid rich or spicy food while you're taking this medicine.”
Information from the NHS website - Varenicline
Rich and spicy food can worsen heartburn (acid reflux), a common side effect of varenicline.
Where this comes from
“It may help to avoid rich and spicy food, and not eating just before going to bed.”
Information from the NHS website
Foods and drinks that count as spicy food
- Spicy food
- Curry
- Chilli
- Rich food
- Peppermint
- Citrus fruit
- Raw onion
- Raw garlic
- Vinegar
Common questions
- Which medicines does spicy food affect?
- 46 medicines on our checker: Amoxicillin (take care), Anastrozole (take care), Bisacodyl (take care), Carbimazole (take care), Carbocisteine (take care), Carvedilol (take care), Cefalexin (take care), Chlorphenamine (take care), Clarithromycin (take care), Co-dydramol (take care), Colecalciferol (take care), Contraceptive injections (take care), Diclofenac (take care), Dipyridamole (take care), Donepezil (take care), Ferrous sulfate (take care), Flucloxacillin (take care), Gaviscon (take care), GLP-1 agonists (take care), Hydroxocobalamin (take care), Ibuprofen and codeine (take care), Isosorbide mononitrate and isosorbide dinitrate (take care), Letrozole (take care), Loperamide (take care), Lymecycline (take care), Medroxyprogesterone tablets (take care), Mesalazine (take care), Methadone (take care), Metoprolol (take care), Montelukast (take care), Nefopam (take care), Nystatin (take care), PPIs (take care), Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (take care), Propranolol (take care), Risperidone (take care), Ropinirole (take care), Sodium valproate (take care), Solifenacin (take care), Sotalol (take care), Sulfasalazine (take care), Terbinafine (take care), Thiamine (take care), Tramadol (take care), Trimethoprim (take care), Varenicline (take care).
- Which foods count as spicy food?
- Spicy food, Curry, Chilli, Rich food, Peppermint, Citrus fruit, Raw onion, Raw garlic, Vinegar.
General information from NHS medicine pages and drug labels, not medical advice. Always follow your prescriber, pharmacist or the leaflet with your medicine. How we check.